Seal-press



2 heetsSheet 1.

Patented Dec. 7

(No Model.)

E.J.BRO0KS.

SEAL PRESS.

m: ncnms was; 00. moroumm. w mm o a n Nb f no e w m m (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. J. BROOKS. SEAL PRESS No. 595,282. Patented Dec. 7, 1897.

W EE

UNiTn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIVARD J. BROOKS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEIV JERSEY.

SEAL-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,282, dated December '7, 1897.

Application filed September 2, 1897. Serial No. 650,392. (No model.)

1'0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. BROOKS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of East Orange, in the State of New J crsey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Seal-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is additional to my improve ments in seal-presses patented May 6, 1884, by Letters Patent No. 298,284; September 22, 1885, No. 326,897; October 13, 1885, No. 328,106; October 14, 1890, No. 438,140; November 1, 1892, No. 485,370, and October 20, 1896, No. 569,742.

The object of the present invention, in common with said patented improvements, is to insure securely fastening each seal at the pressing operation and providing the same in the press with sharp and distinct lettering or other distinguishing marks, if need be, to which end each press is provided with a ratchet attachment to prevent reopening the lever-handles after the pressing operation is begun until the dies have been closed to a predetermined extent necessary to perfectly compress the seal-disk or its equivalent.

In common with the improvement set forth and claimed in said Patent No. 569,742 another object of the present invention is to adapt a hammer seal-press to so operate.

The present invention consists in'certain novel combinations of peculiarly constructed and arranged parts, whereby theconstruction of the ratchet attachment is further simplified, while the adaptation of the head of the press to serve as a hammer for labeling railway freight-cars or pieces of freight or baggage is maintained in a peculiar manner and the manipulation of the press as a whole is facilated.

Two sheets of drawings accompany this specification as part thereof.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side view of an improved seal-press, partly in section, showing thelevcr-handles in two positions by full and dotted lines. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section in a central plane parallel to that of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents side and edge views of the ratchet attachment proper, detached. Fig. 4 represents side and edge views of the head of the press segregated. Fig. 5 is a small-scale side elevation showing the lever-handles at the extremes of their movements by full and dotted lines. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the press-fastened seal produced by the dies shown in the previous figures. Fig. 7 is a side View of the head end of a modified form of said improved press. Fig. 8 represents a central longitudinal sect-ion through the same. Fig. 9 is a side View of its head segregated. Fig. 10 is a small scale side view of the press complete, showing its lever-handles at the extremes of their movements; and Fig. 11 is a face view of a seal fastened and stamped by means of the press represented by said Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive.

Like letters and numbers refer to like parts in all the figures.

I11 either form said improved seal-press comprises a recessed head H, having a pair of checks 1 and 2, which support a pair of fulcru1n-pins a and I). The frontof the head H is conveniently open from top to bottom, its mouth 1% being formed in the front edges of said cheeks by reentrant curves, and a .bed die d is located inside of said mouth within the head. A pair of lever'handles A and B, fulcrumcd on said pins to and I), carry, respectively, a movable die (1 and a die-closing cam c, and said lever-handle A is provided with a stop 00 to limit the die-closing movement. Said check 1 is provided with an arc-shaped ratchet-rack 1', concentric with said fulcrum-pin b and constructed with reversing-notches 3 and 4 at its respective ends, and the corresponding side of the lever-handle B is provided with a ratchet attachment 0*, Fig. 3, consisting of a pawl 5, to coact with said rack, a spring 6, and a follower 7, tending to hold said pawl in effective position, and a housing 8, recessed to accommodate said pawl, spring, and follower, and attached by screws 9 and 10, said screw 9 forming a pivot parallel with said fulcrum-pins a and Z), upon which the pawl 5 reverses when its point enters either of said notches 3 and 4 preparatory to the next stroke of said lever-handle B. At the notch 3 the pawl engages the rack r for the effective stroke of the lever-handle" and remains interlocked with its teeth until the pressing operation is fully completed, as illustrated by Fig. 1. \Vhen the pawl 5 enters the notch 4 at the instant when the press is fully closed, as represented by the dotted line position in Figs. 1, 5, and 10, the pawl reverses on its pivot, so as to ride back over the teeth of the rack r to the notch 3. A flange f on the housing 8 overlaps the cheek 1 sufficiently to mask the pawl 5 and prevent tampering therewith.

Oountersinks z and y in the cheeks 1 and 2 accommodate, respectively, screw-heads on the f ulcru m-pins a and b and screw-nuts which secure the same in the construction represented by the drawings.

Die-opening springs s and 8 Fig. 2, or s, Fig. 8, are supported in spring-seats 11 within the heads H and coact with the die ends of th lever-ha dles A and a th eth ush on e ams 0 of the leve andles B, nd sai springats are conveni nt y loc d in li e with hammer-face projections h, so that the springs are perpendicular to the hammerfaces, as shown in'said Figs. 2 and 8. When eitherpressis fully closed, as in dotted lines in Figs. 1, 5, and '10, said springs, die end, and cam form an effective backing behind the hammer-face and render the seal-press adap ed n a supe io d g f us as a ha mer in labeling cars and like work usually entrusted to the sealer, so to obviate carrying an additional tool for the purpose.

The dies cl and d of the specific press represented by Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, are adapted to fasten my tin shackle-seal, patented August 21, 1894:, by Letters Patent- No. 524,975,

as made without a rivet under claim 1 of said Patent. The bed-die d is accordingly constructed with a central gage-pin 13 to occupy the eyelet-hole 14, Fig, 6, of that seal and the movable die cl with an axial hole 15 to admit said pin when the dies are closed, and the faces of both dies may be smooth and flat surfaces, the seals distinguishing marks 16, Fig. (5, being printed on the shackle at the factory.

' In said seal-press, Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, both dies are conveniently fastened ill place by laterally-projecting screws 6, and the ratchetrack r is integral with the cheek 1 of the head H, being conveniently cut into its edge.

In the modified press represented by Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive, the ratchet-rack r is detachable, as shown in Fig. 9, so as to be renewed,

if broken, without discarding the head H as a Whole. e d d and d2 a adapt to lead and wire seals, and the bed died is held in place by an axial screw c, Fig. 8.

The specific pressed seal represented by his llis on of my sea1 ,p t te Aus st 1885, by Patent No. 323,845.), as indicated by its zigzag wire 17, and is not only securely fastened in 'the press, but at the same time provided with sharp and distinct distinguish:

ingmarks 18., including appropriate lettering.

The die-opening springs shown at s and 8 Fig. 2, are spiral springs of suitable wire, one within another, while 5, Fig. 8, represents a fia meta v u e sp gne r more sp ing of other formsmay be substituted. The dies may be adapted to any style of press-fastened seals, whether their distinguishing marks are put on at the factory or stamped on at the pressing operation. The dies may be integral with the head-casting and with the diecarrying lever-handle, respectively. Ordinary or improved fulcrum-pins may take the place of the screw-pins shown in the drawings, rivets may take the place of the screws 9 and 10, and other like modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described said improvement, I claim as my invention and desire to patent under this specification- 1. A seal-press comprising a die-inclosing head having a pair of cheeks which support a pair of fulcrum-pins, one of said cheeks carrying an are-shaped ratchet-rack concentric with one of said pins, a pair of lever-handles fulcrumed on said pins and provided respectively with the movable die and with a die-closing cam, and a pawl, carried by the lever-handle last named, reversing on a pivot parallel to said fulcrum-pins, and coaeting with said ratchet-rack, to insure fully closing the dies at each pressing operation.

2. The combination, in a seal-press, of a die-inclosing head having a pair of cheeks, one of which carries on its edge an arc shtped ratchet-rack having reversing-notches at its ends, a pair of lever-handles one of which carries a die-closing cam and is fulcrumed on a pin concentric with said rack, a rack-engaging pawl carried by the lever-handle last named and reversing on a pivot parallel to said fulcrum-pin, and a paWl-inclosing housing having a flange at its outer side which overlaps said rack-carrying cheek, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

3. The combination, in a seal-press, of a recessed head provided internally with a beddie, a pair of lever-handles fulcrumed separately within said head and provided respectively with the movable die and with a dieclosingam, and a iep ing p ng springs, within said head, acting on the diecarrying end of the lever-handle first named, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

T m n io in a -pres of a recessed head containing a bed-die and provided with a hammer-face and a spring-seat heind the same an p rpendi ula t to, a a pair of lever-handles fulcrumed within said head and provided respectively with the movable die and with a die-closing cam, and a Spring Springs Withi said pr gat, acting on the die-carrying end of the lever-hand e fi st named, substa ial y s h reinbefore specified.

EDWVARD J. BROOKS. 

